1. Field
The following description relates generally to wireless network communications, and more particularly to measuring interference from base stations while accounting for inter-cell coordination of resources.
2. Background
Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as, for example, voice, data, and so on. Typical wireless communication systems may be multiple-access systems capable of supporting communication with multiple users by sharing available system resources (e.g., bandwidth, transmit power, . . . ). Examples of such multiple-access systems may include code division multiple access (CDMA) systems, time division multiple access (TDMA) systems, frequency division multiple access (FDMA) systems, orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems, and the like. Additionally, the systems can conform to specifications such as third generation partnership project (3GPP) (e.g., 3GPP LTE (Long Term Evolution)/LTE-Advanced), ultra mobile broadband (UMB), evolution data optimized (EV-DO), etc.
Generally, wireless multiple-access communication systems may simultaneously support communication for multiple mobile devices. Each mobile device may communicate with one or more base stations via transmissions on forward and reverse links. The forward link (or downlink) refers to the communication link from base stations to mobile devices, and the reverse link (or uplink) refers to the communication link from mobile devices to base stations. Further, communications between mobile devices and base stations may be established via single-input single-output (SISO) systems, multiple-input single-output (MISO) systems, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, and so forth.
In addition, some wireless networks allow deployment of low power base stations (e.g., femto nodes, pico nodes, micro nodes, etc.), to which a device can connect to receive alternative wireless network access. For example, the low power base station can communicate with the wireless network over a broadband or other backhaul connection (e.g., a digital subscriber line (DSL) connection, T1 connection, cable connection, etc.), while also providing an access link over which devices can communicate therewith to receive access to the wireless network.
For example, low power base stations can be deployed within macrocell base station coverage areas, which can result in multiple levels of interference where the base stations operate in a similar and/or adjacent frequency spectrum, such as interference to devices communicating therewith, interference to the low power base stations and macrocell base station from devices communicating therewith, etc. Resource partitioning schemes, such as enhanced inter-cell interference coordination (eICIC), have been implemented to allow the low power base stations and macrocell base stations to negotiate transmission (and/or reception) radio resources to avoid such interference. In these schemes, a low power base station can schedule device communications in different time periods than the macrocell base station uses to schedule devices. Thus, interference for a given base station can vary over a given set of resources.